


New Horizon

by Zemas



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Canon Compliant, Explicit Language, F/M, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, M/M, Nightmares, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Star Wars: A New Hope, Rebellion, Rebels, The Force, Torture, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-05-02 07:15:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14539446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zemas/pseuds/Zemas
Summary: On a frontier world far, far away in the Outer Rim, a clone trooper is mistaken as dead. Abandoned with no way to contact or return to his superiors, he must find his navigate his way towards a new lifestyle. However, the end of the Clone Wars nears and a dark specter looms on the horizon. This Clone Trooper must deal with events that are out of his control...





	1. Abandoned

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Keep Forever](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6743848) by [threeplusfire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/threeplusfire/pseuds/threeplusfire). 



> I began this work earlier this year, with plans to debut its first chapter on Star Wars Day, on May the Fourth. Most of it will include original characters created by me, with references to the overarching plot of Star Wars and its main characters. This will mix elements of both canon and legends. That is, I will mostly retain canon and use legends to fill in gaps. However, sometimes I will use legends if I consider its lore better suited to the story. I have also added my own modifications to the Star Wars lore in some places. I hope you enjoy this work, and may the force be with you.

The clone moved alongside his squad, towards the location where reconnaissance teams spotted the droids. While it wasn’t a big droid army, mostly B1’s and a few supers, the commander wanted to make sure they didn’t get a foothold on this isolated world. It was a straightforward battle.

They moved silently through the woods and saw the droids up ahead where the forest ended and led into a hilly plain. A few decently sized rocks were scattered that they could use as cover. They were told to wait behind the trees until the signal was given. After a minute had passed, the signal was given and they opened fire.

Explosions went off all around the clone. The sound of blaster fire bounded off into the distance. The screams of his fellow clones rang out as they were picked off by the droids that were quickly deployed to meet the clones.

“Move forward! Let’s take down these clankers!”

His squad emerged from the tree line and moved fast, going from cover to cover, shooting down the B1 battle droids. As he began running towards the next position with his squad, one of his mates yelled “Super Battle -”

He was suddenly blown to the side and everything went black.  
  


* * *

  
  
The clone checked the unconscious clone trooper. Detecting no signs of life, he said to his commanding sergeant, “Sir, CT-4056 is dead.”

“Unfortunate, let us move onto the others,” the sergeant solemnly said. “We must go quickly, the commander wants us to leave soon.”

“Yes sir.”  
  


* * *

  
  
CT-4056 woke up, the explosion still ringing in his ears. His eyes slowly adjusted to the light and he looked around him. Battle droids were left strewn across the battlefield, mixed with some dead clones, the grass randomly reaching out around them.

“Where is my squad?” CT-4056 wondered out loud. He attempted accessing communications, but it appeared to be broken. CT-4056 swore. “Shit... shit...” He slowly got up and looked around. Not another living clone in sight. He took off his helmet and attempted to brute force the repair of his communications system. It didn’t appear to work any better than it did previously.

He ran up the crest of a nearby hill, hoping that some clones would still be around. He sank to the ground exasperated. He eventually looked up towards the sky. The symbol of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Venator, was gone. “Fuck, this can’t be happening.” CT-4056 couldn’t help but shed a tear. He was abandoned, most likely believed to be dead.

He decided to check over himself before he did anything else. His injuries seemed to be relatively minor although his head ached. He went over the last few seconds of the battle he experienced, the wrist rocket came fast and unexpected. He looked back down the hill from where he came from. It seemed to kill a few of his squadmates as he far as could tell from the position they were in. One clone’s helmet was fragmented and blown apart by the blast and one was missing a quarter of a leg.

CT-4056 had no idea what to do with himself. He wondered if he would just die alone here, never seeing another clone or being again. The local star was setting as he laid back against a tree. CT-4056 never really took in the sights but it was a beautiful moment. He clutched his DC-15S blaster rifle and soon, it was night. As the night life came alive, he managed to fall asleep against the tree.  
  


* * *

  
  
CT-4056 woke up to a slightly hazy morning. He yawned and scratched his eyes as he looked around. The star was just peeking over the horizon. He stood up and wondered what to do. He did not have the slightest clue of how to continue on. But before he had time to decide, CT-4056 heard the sound of a landspeeder.

He stood up straight and clutched his rifle tightly as the speeder neared the scene of yesterday’s battle. The speeder parked near the litter of droids and clones and CT-4056 saw what appeared to be a middle aged, bearded man along with another slightly smaller, younger man, most likely the man’s teenage son. CT-4056 could just about see some sort of conversation between the two and a motion for the son to stay in the speeder.

The bearded man left the speeder and walked towards the hill. He glanced up towards CT-4056 and yelled, “You there! Are you a friend?”

CT-4056 took a few moments to respond. “I am, if your loyalties lie with the Galactic Republic.”

The man motioned to come down. “Come down here, you have nothing to fear. I’m friendly enough.”

CT-4056 gripped his blaster tighter in case it was a trap and slowly walked over to the man. He could now clearly see the man. He had dark brownish hair although it appeared to be greying, and he was wearing a simple brown tunic, which CT-4056 guessed was a popular style at the time.

“It seems that you are a little bit lost, my friend. The Venator left hyperspace a few hours after the battle. What’s your name?”

CT-4056 straightened up his posture and stood at attention. “I am CT-4056 of the 447th Legion, 74th Regiment sir. I must return to my superiors as soon as possible.” He failed to notice the man smile a bit at the formality.

“Well er… CT… 4056, it seems you’ve suffered some injuries. How ‘bout I allow you to stay with us for a while and rest before you leave, it’s what I can do to support a clone trooper. For the Republic and all that.”

“Thank you sir, it’d be an honour.” CT-4056 saluted.

The man waved at the boy in the speeder, “Son, gather up all the droids and put them in the speeder.” He turned around towards CT-4056. “Forgive me, where are my manners. My name is George. My son over there,” George’s son waved, “is Jeff.” George extended his hand towards CT-4056.

CT-4056 shook it with a firm grip. He curiously questioned, “Sir, what are you doing with those droids?”

“Always wondered what happens to droids after a battle? Usually scavengers pick them up. Us farmers recycle them for equipment and some even refit them to help farm. And, no need to call me sir. George is perfectly fine.”

“That is… very clever. I guess clankers can be useful.”

Jeff walked over to the two. “Dad, all the droids are in the speeder.” He looked at the clone. “Nice to meet ya. My dad has told me a few stories about the clones.”

“It’s nice to meet such fine citizens of the Republic.”

George glanced at the sun. “We should go now, it’s almost midday. It’s a few hours ride to our farm. Son, you go in the backseat while our friend and I sit in the front.” 

Jeff nodded while CT-4056 just remembered something. “Hold on sir, I mean George.” He ran up to the top of the hill and grabbed his helmet and ran back down the hill. He patted his helmet and proudly explained, “This helmet is a clone’s most prized possession. It’s what makes us.”  
  


* * *

  
  
The landspeeder zoomed across the landscape while he took in the sights. It was all so new to him. The planet was untouched by materialistic society. Mountains reached towards the sky and lakes sparkled while the water bathed in the sun. It was nothing like Kamino. Now that CT-4056 wasn’t bound to military command, he could relax more with nature... Although he felt a pang of guilt that he should return to the army as soon as possible, he pushed that thought to the side.

Soon, various features gave way to a vast flat landscape with only slight curvature, although there were certainly a few more noticeable hills. Amidst it all stood a large compound and fields of crops as well as an animal pen.

“Welcome to our home!” George exclaimed as the speeder stopped a little bit outside the compound walls. “Let me show you around, and I’ll show you where you can stay for a few days.”

CT-4056 nodded while he looked at everything with curiosity. George appeared to be a well off farmer, with several buildings in the compound which he supposed had different uses. He even noticed two transport ships towards the back of the compound. CT-4056 was introduced to the various sheds, and storage buildings that made up most of the compound. Then, George led him into the building located centrally within the compound, which was the actual house.

The interior was nice and clean, signs of it being well kept over several years. The house was mainly composed of a large living room, kitchen, and dining room. Soon enough, CT-4056 was shown to his room. It was relatively spacious and luxurious to what he was used to. There was a nice bed that could fit two, maybe three, clones on it. He set his helmet and rifle on a surface near the door.

While CT-4056 looked around at a room that was far above his standards, George spoke, “This will be your room while you stay. Usually it would be occupied by Jeff, but he’ll sleep with me.” George pointed towards the other door in the room. “That there is your bathroom. I suggest you take a shower and freshen up while I fetch you some new clothes. You look around Jeff’s size. Armour isn’t great to wear all the time, and I suppose that if you’re going to be here a while, it won’t be comfortable.”

“Thank you sir. Uh… How long do I get in the shower?”

George cocked his head. He was perplexed by the question. “You can use it as long as you like I suppose.”

A shower that wasn’t timed initially sounded preposterous to CT-4056, but the more he thought about it the more he realised it was more of a military thing. He explained to George that showers were timed. George left him be while he took a shower. 

The shower (it was warm!) was refreshing to the clone. CT-4056 washed himself for what felt like forever. Once he was done, he saw the neatly folded clothes that were provided for him on his bed. He changed and looked at himself in the mirror. While he was certainly not used to the tunic, CT-4056 was ready for the future.  
  


* * *

  
  
On that first day, Jeff gave CT-4056 a tour of the farm. George had business offworld to attend to which he apologised for. “Looks like I’ll be your guide for the actual farms,” Jeff said as George left.

Jeff showed him the various fields and explained to him the various crops, the various seasonal cycles, and how it was all done. Surprisingly, CT-4056 found himself interested in the subject, taking in every detail. It seemed like a calm lifestyle, without much worry. It was far different to CT-4056’s own lifestyle: busy and taking life instead of growing it.

Then, Jeff lead him to a medium sized ranch where they held two Banthas. “This one is Daisy,” he pointed to one of the Banthas. “And the other one is Jess. We have them so we can have a supply of blue milk.”

Jeff opened a gate and they walked into the enclosure. “Let’s have a look up close! They won’t harm you. They’re quite docile.”

“Uh, yes.” CT-4056 was a bit unsure, he had never seen any sort of animal up close.

They walked over to the Daisy and Jess, who weren’t disturbed by their presence. Jeff petted Jess on the head. He turned to CT-4056 and suggested, “You try!”

CT-4056 went up towards Daisy, slowly approaching it as Daisy looked at him. Jeff explained, “Just stroke her gently on the head.” CT-4056 slowly moved his hand towards Daisy and made contact with her head. He stroked it gently. Daisy seemed to be enjoying the attention.

“I think she likes you already.”

The clone got into the petting, showing Daisy affection. A smile formed on CT-4056’s face. CT-4056 wondered about living a life not too different from George’s and Jeff’s.

“Here, let’s feed them,” Jeff proposed as he grabbed a bag of vegetables and handed some to CT-4056. He offered it to Daisy, and Daisy accepted the food. CT-4056 felt at peace.  
  


* * *

  
  
For a few days, CT-4056 stayed as George’s guest. He was always happy to provide a helping hand when needed, and asked tons of questions. He wanted to know everything George had to offer on hand as George was a lot more knowledgeable than Jeff, and asked tons of questions about different crops and animals and the world they lived on. After all, he knew very little other than war. George was more than happy to satisfy his curiosity and let him help tend to the crops and animals.

Currently, he was sitting on a chair while George fed the animals. A new question came to mind. “So George sir, what brought you to this world.”

George was surprised by the sudden change in type of question. It was unexpected. “Pardon?”

“Why did you take up farming? You seem to be knowledgeable sir, well off, and know a bit of the galaxy.”

George’s face turned somber. “It’s a long story.” He sighed as he sat next to the clone. “I came from a upper class family on Coruscant. With news of the invasion of Naboo and the Separatist Crisis, I managed to join a small band of volunteer forces. There, I met my future wife.” George smiled with the memories returning. “She was beautiful, funny, intelligent, and all around great. Oh the things that went on between missions. While she was part of the lower class, I loved her with all my heart. We conducted a successful guerilla war in her homeworld to liberate it from the Separatists which had taken over.”

“Then as the Clone Wars began and it continued for a while, missions started being noticeably harder. More and more casualties occured after every battle. Our group couldn’t keep up with the mass production of war. Then that fatal mission happened that day.”

George went silent for a moment. “We began with much confidence. It became a disaster. We couldn’t keep up with all the droids. My wife…” George shuddered. “She sacrificed herself to save me. She died in my arms. She told me to continue on without her. She told me to take care of our son.”

“I managed to survive that hellhole. The only one out of the whole bunch. Our band was reduced to nothing. I was distraught for weeks, even months. Time passed by without me noticing. Eventually, Jeff and I came here and I buried her. Then, I began the farm. That was that and I left my past behind me.”

The two sat there silent for a few minutes, perhaps several. CT-4056 responded, “Usually, we… we clones never stop and think about how the Clone Wars affect the galaxy’s inhabitants. Thank you for sharing your story with me, George.”

George nodded. “It’s not a problem. I’ve moved on a year ago. We should respect the past, but always move forward into the future. It’s a big galaxy, and the war doesn’t appear to be stopping any sooner.” George stood up. “Come on, let’s head inside. Tomorrow morning, we can decide on your next course of action.”

That night was not uneventful for CT-4056.  
  


* * *

  
  
CT-4056 found himself in a transport with other clone troopers. They were all silent, deadly silent. “Hello? Where am I? What are we doing?” The clones didn’t answer, as if they didn’t see him. “How odd…”

Suddenly, he was transported onto a balcony. He looked around. It was the Jedi Temple on Coruscant in the middle of the night. As he looked in front of him, he saw clones marching into the temple lead by an unclear figure. What unveiled before him was a horrific gun fight and the death of many Jedi.

Then he was transported through different scenes, scenes of Jedi being suddenly slaughtered by clones. CT-4056 couldn’t help but look in shock. The values of that all the clones fought for were thrown away.

CT-4056 was transported again, hearing a distinct echo commanding, “Execute Order 66.”

CT-4056 found himself in a room, confronted by a figure in a dark robe. “CT-4056… You’re alive.”

“Where am I?” CT-4056 said in fear.

“You are a traitor and a deserter to the Republic. A failure of a clone.”

“It’s not my fault! I didn’t mean to… I swear!”

“Now you shall suffer for your treasonous ways to the Empire.” The figure raised his hands and lightning streamed forth from them. CT-4056 screamed in agony while the figure crackled.

All CT-4056 could see next was a strange, black masked figure and hear breathing.

“CT-4056!”

“I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!”

“CT-4056! It’s me, George. Wake up!”

CT-4056 opened his eyes to a worried looking George. The clone looked around, turning his head quickly. The familiar sight of the room and George calmed him down and he sat up.

“You were screaming loudly and saying nonsensical things, so I came to check up on you. You were throwing quite a fit.”

The clone blinked. He breathed a sigh of relief. “It was just a nightmare. I’m alright sir.” CT-4056 got out of bed and put his clothes on.

“That’s relieving to hear. Must have been a nasty thing.”

CT-4056 nodded and walked outside to the top of a nearby hill. It was almost sunrise, reminiscent of the first morning he spent here. He closed his eyes, his face feeling the wind. 

George followed CT-4056 a few minutes after he left the house and saw the clone standing on a hill. He sighed and walked towards him. He wondered what the clone was thinking.

CT-4056 heard a figure approach him, probably George. Then he heard George’s voice. “Rough night eh?”

He turned towards George. “I guess. It just felt so real. I couldn’t believe what was happening.”

“I’m here for you if you need me.”

“George. I think I’m ready to move on in my life.”

George made a slight smile and patted CT-4056 on the back. “You’ve decided what you’re going to do?”

“Well, I’m a bit confused George sir. All my life I had been trained to fight, for war. I never stopped and think for myself. It was trained to follow orders, and follow them through. And then, I wound up here. Alone, confused, even scared, then you appeared. I was shown a world beyond war. One of peace, one where life rather than death existed. And for the first time in my life, I felt at peace. All stress went away. One part of me wants to return back, to fight once again along my comrades in the Grand Army of the Republic. The other part wants me to desert. and find myself a new life.”

“I’ll support you whatever you decide friend.”

“I think I can see clearly now. After experiencing life here, with you and Jeff, I can’t simply return to fight once again. The war does not seem to end anytime soon… After last night…” CT-4056’s voice trailed for a bit before he moved on to his decision. “I’m going to desert, I guess take up farming like you have here sir. But on a new planet, this one is too close for comfort to my time in the army.”

“I’m glad you’ve come to a decision, and you’re welcome to come visit us any time. In fact, I have to show you something! Come with me.”

George hurried down the mountain and CT-4056 followed close behind him. George escorted him into the area where George’s transports were. “I’ve decided to give you a parting gift. Your very own transport ship.”

CT-4056 stood there dumbstruck. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t worry about it, it can serve as my last active duty to honour the Republic. I’ve put supplies in the ship to help you on your way. I will help you get set up in whatever planet you choose, but after that, I must return to my farm.”

CT-4056 impulsively hugged George. “It’s been a great honour. You are truly worthy of being a citizen under the Galactic Republic. I’ll remember this, always.”

“We’ll set off in 2 days.”

“Agreed.”  
  


* * *

  
  
George and CT-4056 planned to leave early in the morning. The last two days, CT-4056 did all he could to help around the place as a sort of repayment, albeit he knew he could never repay the favour in full.

He said his goodbyes to Jeff before they left. “Didn’t expect that I would say this, but I’ll miss havin’ ya around. If you ever come visit again, tell me more stories of the battles you participated in.”

CT-4056 shook his hand firmly. “I’ll be sure to. Good luck kid, you’re going to make your father proud.”

“May the Force be with you.”

CT-4056 began boarding his transport ship, and looked back one more time at the compound. He’d always remember the place, how it helped him find a new meaning. But it was finally time to start a life of his own. He sat down in the pilot’s seat, his armour and rifle in the seat next to him. 

He signaled that he was ready to George’s ship and the two launched into space. He was once again in space, but this time on his own ship compared to a Venator. CT-4056’s heart beat with excitement. Once in position, they jumped to hyperspace.


	2. The Empire Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CT-4056, while enjoying a normal life, would find his isolated life interrupted. As darkness looms over the Galaxy, the Outer Rim finds that it will not be left alone. Soon, the clone would find himself involved in galactic matters and events spiral out of his control.

CT-4056 found the perfect planet, at least in his opinion. It was unnamed and uncolonised, only teeming with its diverse plant life and animals. It was a beautiful world, with sparkling rivers and lakes and a large contiguous ocean. Scenic mountain ranges dotted its landscape and large, tall forests reached towards the sky. He chose a spot near a base of a mountain, which had a nearby meandering river which flowed into a lake. Within 2 months, CT-4056 was living in his newly made home started growing his first crops.

Every other month, CT-4056 made it his duty to visit George and Jeff. He was sad to find out that later that year, Jeff was sent to Alderaan for education. By the middle of the next year on one of CT-4056’s visit, George had died a natural death. Jeff, who visited to pay his respects, and CT-4056 held a small funeral and buried him next to his wife. The clone was surprised to find out that Jeff and George both agreed to give a quarter of George’s wealth to CT-4056. Of course, CT-4056 kept showering thanks while Jeff kept insisting it’s just a small thing to show as friendship. Sadly, that was the last time CT-4056 saw Jeff, but CT-4056 kept returning to the vacant farm to pay homage to George. Soon, CT-4056 stopped returning after convincing himself it was time to continue on.

Eventually within that year, CT-4056 purchased a shiny, new landspeeder to explore and map out the planet he lived on. With his now longer hair and budding facial hair, he deemed it safe to interact with a nearby Space Station and sell his crops there. His overall lifestyle and schedule stayed consistent for the next year, although he did wonder of news from the war. The space station had little news to help satisfy his curiosity. For now, CT-4056 was content and happy, although he longed for companionship after George and Jeff left his life.  
  


* * *

  
  
The two Jedi starfighters hopped out of hyperspace in the system. A weary voice spoke, “We’ll settle on that verdant planet there padawan. We should attract very little attention.”

“Yes master.”

The two ships descended and landed in a large clearing atop a hill next to a large lake. Two robed figures left from their respective fighters and looked around their surroundings, taking in the natural beauty. One of them seemed to sense something.

“Master, I sense someone approaching.”

“I can feel it too.” The master’s perception was strengthened and his eyes scanned the landscape. “There,” he pointed. “A landspeeder, and it is fast approaching towards our location.” A look of worry was made quickly visible on his face. “It looks like… a clone.”

“How could they possibly have known where we were heading master?”

“The Sith caught us off guard, they can do it again. One thing that is interesting is that there appears to only be one clone. Be on your guard, there may be more.”  
  


* * *

  
  
CT-4056 was reading a book by the lake when his landspeeder started beeping after detecting incoming starfighters. He took out his electrobinoculars for a closer look at the ships. Jedi Starfighters. Fear spread through his mind. Had the Republic finally found out he was alive, that they were here to take him back? Why would they send not just one, but two Jedi? Why did they want him back? Had the war gone so terribly that there wasn’t enough clones? These questions were racing throughout his mind with no clear answer. There was one thing that was for certain: he wasn’t going to go back.

He put on his clone armour and helmet and leaped into his landspeeder, zooming around the lake towards where he saw the starfighters land. After he closed the distance, he left the vehicle and moved cautiously towards the two with his DC-15S, gripping the weapon in case he needed to fire. He did set the weapon to stun because he did not feel like harming Jedi, it would still be against everything he valued.

He went over the lip of the hill, only to see two Jedi were waiting for him, as if they knew he was coming. Was this the power of the Jedi that the other clones talked about? One of the robed figures activated a blue lightsabre, but the Jedi cautioned him and held him back. 

Initially taken aback by the move, CT-4056 questioned with a noticeable loud panic, “What do you want with me! I refuse to go back. I’m not going with you, no matter what.”

The one who didn’t have his lightsabre activated stepped forward. “What do you mean? What’s your name clone?”

“Master, I don’t trust him. We should-” The padawan was silenced when the master held up his hand.

The clone straightened up and shakingly said, “I, I am CT-4056. Formerly of the 447th Legion. Formerly of the 74th Regiment. I am not a clone trooper within the Grand Army of the Republic anymore, but a citizen of the Republic.” His voice grew with confidence. “I am a deserter. A traitor maybe, but this is my life now. I refuse to go back, do what you will. I am not afraid sir.”

The master put down his hood, revealing a black haired human with a beard, with visible effects of a long war. “It seems we are not enemies after all. We are not here to bring you in, or to bring you back. We came here to flee.” 

The padawan put down his hood too and sheathed his lightsabre, revealing a younger human. He had brown hair, though it was shorter than the other one’s hair. They both had brown eyes. 

“I am Master Corbrinn and this is my padawan, Balderik.” Balderik bowed slightly.

CT-4056 eased his posture and took off his helmet, revealing his black hair and beard to the two Jedi. He was confused. “If you came here to flee, what from? How goes... the war. I have not heard news for 2 years. Has the Republic won?”

Corbrinn breathed in a deep sigh. “I’m afraid, that the Sith has won. The Jedi Council was blind.”

Balderik spoke up. “We fled from your brethren. We didn’t expect it, we were just recovering from a battle. Then the clones walked up to us, and began opening fire. Moments before, we fought with them. And now they hunt us. We barely escaped with our lives.”

“Clones fired upon the Jedi?” CT-4056 asked in disbelief. “That goes against all our values, all that fighting throughout the war. Why…?” Then he recalled that dream from long ago, he could still remember all the details. In a barely audible whisper to the Jedi, he said, “Order 66.”

Balderik demanded, “You know what happened?”

“I believe I do…” He crossed his arms. “Many moons ago, I had a nightmare. I never thought it would become true. I dismissed it as a dream, yet I can still think of everything that happened. I haven’t thought too much of it until now.”

Corbrinn stated, “You were sent a vision of the future.”

“I guess. Order 66… We never learned about it in training, it was never spoken of, yet something in my mind tells me I know exactly what it is. It was a protocol to eliminate Jedi.”

“Us Jedi were fools then. This whole war, an orchestration of the Sith.” Corbrinn shook his head.

Just then, a hologramme appeared from within Corbrinn’s starfighter. The three gathered around. Corbrinn explained, “It’s the Jedi beacon. It kept pinging us to go to the Jedi Temple but I believed we needed a breather and a rest first. But it seems now the message is modified.”

Balderik pointed out, “That’s Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.”

The hologramme spoke. 

“This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi: trust in the Force.” 

“Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed, and our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged: our trust, our faith, our friendships. But we must persevere and, in time, I believe a new hope will emerge.” 

“May the Force be with you always.”

The message ended with silence. It even seemed like the animals stopped making sounds. It was just the wind. Finally, Corbrinn spoke up, “It seems that a new era has come forth. The Jedi Order is no more. The Republic has turned into something twisted. This… Empire.”

CT-4056 shook his head. “My fellow clones, they died for nothing. An Empire is not what we fought for, we fought for the Republic. The preservation of it, to uphold its values.” He turned towards the two Jedi, remembering the hospitality of George and Jeff. “While the Republic officially stands no longer, I am still a loyal citizen of the Republic. I’ll offer you refuge in my home. And I’ll help you settle down here on this planet. I don’t know much about you Jedi, but I know they are the bastion of the Republic, the upholder of society.”

Corbrinn bowed in thanks. “It seems that even in these dark times, there is a glimmer of hope for the galaxy.”  
  


* * *

  
  
The two Jedi were amazed at what CT-4056 has accomplished. The clone told them how he got to this point in his life and Corbrinn remarked that they never considered what to do with the clones after the war. The Jedi were temporarily staying in CT-4056’s house until he constructed their very own house, which they decided that it would be upstream perched on top a cliff that was a part of the mountain.

CT-4056 frequented the space station in order to buy stuff such as civilian clothes for the Jedi as well as construction materials. Every time he came back home, it seemed Corbrinn befriended new animals. By the end of all his trips, Corbrinn had a bantha, several chickens, and a dog.

When he was at the space station, CT-4056 browsed the HoloNet for news about the Empire so he could relay them to the Jedi. Every time he visited the station, it seemed like it was getting more and more traffic. He found out that most were refugees seeking to escape the tyranny of the Empire. CT-4056 managed to convince those with sympathies to the former Republic to come to his planet and a small village community began. Within a few months, CT-4056 finally completed the Jedi home and by then, a small village was well established.  
  


* * *

  
  
CT-4056 was on another visit to the Jedi. The three warmed up to each other pretty quickly, but the clone could sense there was still a bit of distrust between them due to the events of Order 66. He frequented the Jedi to continue learning about the galaxy. As he approached, he saw that Corbrinn was meditating atop a rock. 

He always wondered what was happening when Corbrinn meditated, even though he never really went into the subject. “Corbrinn sir, what exactly is… the Force?”

Corbrinn replied without turning around, “Come sit here with me. And I will show you.” CT-4056 followed his request and sat next to Corbrinn. “The Force… now, where to begin. The Force is everywhere, connecting all living things. You. Me. The plants and animals. And it all feeds into something we call the Cosmic Force.”

“So the Force is in me? Could I be a Jedi?”

Corbrinn chuckled. “No, though if you dedicated your life to it, you could probably have some skill with the Force. It would take decades to achieve just the simplest of Force powers. We Jedi consist of the most Force-sensitive beings. Those who are Force-sensitive can learn to use Force powers in a few years, such as lifting a rock.”

CT-4056 nodded, slowly taking in all the information.

“This planet is strong in the force, with all the wildlife and natural beauty, but even so it’s stronger than most planets. Here, I can help you sense the Force. While many powers are locked to Force-sensitives, most beings are able to sense the Force through certain techniques. And possibly in the future, you can do it on your own.”

“Now.” Corbrinn grabbed hold of CT-4056’s hand. “Close your eyes, and breathe. And we’ll count to 10.”

CT-4056 shut his eyes and took a deep breathe, doing as Corbrinn said. Corbrinn began counting slowly and steadily, “One… two… three…” 

Once he got to ten, CT-4056 only felt Corbrinn’s hand and his breathing. But then, lights started appearing, and he could feel something everywhere flowing all around him. Soon, he could see shapes, outlines of things. The rocks he was sitting atop, the building, the wind. The grass, trees, and Corbrinn’s animals were more distinct in the outlines comparatively. 

“This is the Force and it’s always there, everywhere, at any time..”

CT-4056 didn’t know what to say, but what eventually came out was, “Wow.”

The two sat there for several minutes, sensing the Force. They awakened from their meditative state when Balderik returned home from his task. “Master, I have returned.” Balderik exclaimed while getting off his speeder bike.

Their hands unraveled and CT-4056 opened his eyes dazed. The experience felt amazing and for the first time, he felt truly happy. He also had a sense of relaxation, calmness, meaning, and he felt younger and more energetic.

Balderik smiled at him, suggesting that he realised what he did with Corbrinn. CT-4056 stood at the railing at the edge of the cliff, watching the system’s star set. Balderik beckoned, “Come inside CT-4056. It’s time for dinner. And I’ve gotten better food than what Corbrinn makes.”

“What do you mean, my food’s amazing!”

CT-4056 smiled and went inside.  
  


* * *

  
  
On his next journey to the space station, he was accompanied by Balderik. CT-4056 planned on buying a new freighter and needed someone to fly the old ship back home, and Balderik said he needed to get away from Corbrinn for a bit anyways.

It had been a while since he last visited the station, but due to recent booms in business due to people seeking to get away from the Empire, it was much improved and was a central area of activity in the sector. 

Once they docked the ship and were off, there was a noticeable amount of posters at the entrance. They were all placed by the Empire. Balderik took one off the wall and angrily mused, “The Empire is putting bounties on Jedi, alive or dead. Though the reward seems much higher for them being alive.”

CT-4056 remarked, “Didn’t know the Empire needed people to do their dirty work.”

“That’s the Sith for you.”

They headed towards one of the fancy hotels in the station and booked a room for several nights. CT-4056 figured he might need to do some modifications as well as find out news about what was happening elsewhere. 

After getting their room, they started to browse the available freighters that were being sold. Balderik suggested, “How about a YT-1300 light freighter? Those things are being sold like hot cakes.”

“Hm… I’m not so sure quite yet.” He looked at the various freighters and it was hard to decide. Then he saw one towards the back, in grey and orange. He walked towards it and asked the merchant about it.

“This freighter? Ah yes, it’s a very old ship, but it’s been kept in tip top shape. It was made during the times of Old Republic era a few thousand years ago. It’s a Dynamic-class freighter. It’s systems are a bit outdated but since it’s an antique, it’ll be 55,000 credits.”

CT-4056 discussed with Balderik. “I kinda like the ship.”

“It’s old but it looks like a sturdy thing. And it looks nice.”

“I think it’s a bit more unique and I believe after we fix her up, it’ll be a thing of beauty.” CT-4056 turned towards the merchant without much more thought to the matter. “I’ll buy it.”

“Excellent.”

After all the bureaucracy and the transaction was completed, the ship was rightfully his. He immediately went to find a well experienced and professional mechanic who agreed to fix up the ship, overhaul its systems, and somewhat modernise it. Along the requests was an order to install a faster hyperdrive, a class 0.65, as well as making the service quick. The price wasn’t exactly pretty, and CT-4056 sent a silent thank you to George.

It would take 2 weeks at the minimum for the service to finish, so they decided to explore the station. CT-4056 was glad to spend some time with Balderik, as back home he mostly spent time with Corbrinn. 

They decided to check out the HoloNet for information but found it would provide nothing useful. CT-4056 cursed. “Damn it all. Not only is the HoloNet heavily full of Imperial propaganda, it’s now also heavily censored.”

“It seems the Empire grows more and more tyrannical.”

Frustrated, CT-4056 suggested, “Let’s just get some food.” 

They dined at a nice restaurant in one of the upper levels of the station, with CT-4056 of course footing the bill. Balderik was telling some amusing stories on missions that him and his master was on during the Clone Wars. 

They overheard a nearby conversation while they dined.

“There’s something fishy going on with the Empire, I mean think about it. They’ve restricted the HoloNet, massive shipments of material? The Empire is making moves. I’d say they might be seeking to expand their control over the Outer Rim.”

“Are you sure? The Outer Rim has been a safe haven for millenia.”

“They’re building up a large fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers. Who knows where those materials are heading for. There’s news of rebels, and then the Empire comes along to crush them. There’s even rumours that they’re continuing to hunt down every last Jedi, along with Force-sensitive children. I mean, have you seen all the posters?”

“Well these are just the times we live in. The Empire will be here to stay, and we have to live with it. especially with that Darth Vader at the Emperor’s side.”

In an hour, CT-4056 and Balderik finished their meal and returned to their rooms. Balderik crossed his arms and looked upset. “The Sith continue to pursue us Jedi… And this Darth Vader guy sounds dangerous. But what disturbs me more is that they are hunting Force-sensitive children. I can’t imagine what the Sith are planning to do… Master will certainly interested in this news.”

“We can decide on a course of action later. We aren’t in a position quite yet to openly act out against the Empire. Not until my freighter is ready.” CT-4056 flopped onto one of the beds. “Good night.”

A minute later, Balderik replied, “You too.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Over the days, CT-4056 purchased new sets of clothes for himself. He offered to buy some for Balderik but he only took one or two that CT-4056 showed him at the store. He also decided to buy some clothes for Corbrinn. CT-4056 also modified his DC-15S as well as buying a DC-17 blaster pistol which he was surprised to find.

One night, CT-4056 had a horrific dream similar to the last one. He was once again being interrogated and tortured by a strange figure. He pointed towards Balderik and said, “Kill him.” To his horror, he followed the command and aimed his gun towards Balderik and mercilessly shot him. 

He then saw the construction of a massive space station. It blew up a city, as well as some sort of base crushing a failed rebel battle. Then he witnessed the destruction of countless worlds like Alderaan that opposed the Empire. All the while he heard a sinister crackling and the same breathing from that masked figure. The Empire stretched its control over the whole galaxy including the Unknown Regions and he saw the burning of his village community. The merciless shooting of the villagers and their children. He finally saw the defeat of Corbrinn and then the Sith turned to him smiling.

He was awakened by Balderik. CT-4056 hugged Balderik and sobbed uncontrollably. After reassurances that he’s safe and nobody was going to harm him, he fell into a more relaxed and comfortable sleep.  
  


* * *

  
  
In two weeks and two days, the mechanic announced that the ship was ready and finished, and CT-4056 made the final payments. He was pleased with the changes, the ship had new furniture, it was cleaned up, the systems were modernised, it had new guns, and it had a new coat of paint among other changes. Tomorrow morning was when they would make their departure home. He already had everything packed onto the freighter to make a quick departure, as CT-4056 was missing his home and Corbrinn. Balderik admitted that he missed the guy too, but not to tell his master that he would ever say that.

As they left the hotel, Balderik sensed something different about that morning and warned CT-4056 to be on his guard. After a few corridors, the situation was made aware. CT-4056 whispered, “What are they doing here?!”

“Hell if I know!”

There were a few stormtroopers walking around, their distinct white armour in full glory. They became as discreet as possible, just going on their daily business as not to attract attention from the stormtroopers. It was rumoured that the clones were being phased out and more and more stormtroopers consisted of volunteers.

Without too much trouble, they reached their ship, only to find out that there was a small group of stormtroopers guarding it. What CT-4056 could only assume is the officer of the squad motioned for them to stop. “Halt. What’s your purpose.”

Balderik signaled to CT-4056 that he would speak. “This is our freighter, we were just about to leave.”

“No ship is allowed to leave at this time.”

Balderik made a slight hand wave motion and murmured, “We are clear to go.”

“They are clear to go.”

“We can enter the ship and leave.”

“They can enter the ship and leave.”

“Carry on.”

“Carry on.”

Balderik addressed the squad, “Thank you.” He bowed slightly to make his point and the stormtroopers marched off. CT-4056 looked at Balderik. “Just a trick I learned.” Balderik said he’ll be fine on his own to get the other freighter and motioned that CT-4056 can begin transit and that they’ll communicate through the ship comms once he’s off the station.

CT-4056 settled in the pilot seat. It was an exciting moment for him, a beautiful freighter that was well equipped and fast. He launched the ship and left the hanger. To his astonishment, he was greeted by the sight of an Imperial Star Destroyer which dwarfed the station. The Star Destroyer gave no signal that they would pursue the freighter. CT-4056 breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon, he heard the familiar voice of Balderik. “I’m here, let’s get out of here before things don’t turn to our liking.” They jumped to hyperspace and returned home.  
  


* * *

  
  
“This is highly disturbing news.” Corbrinn mused. “The Sith always used to resort to tactics like these. The taking of children. They tried that one time during the Clone Wars…”

Balderik put his fists down on the table. “We must do something, we cannot let the Empire do this.”

“What resources do we have? The Empire is extending its control over the Outer Rim. The Sith are far more powerful than we could have imagined.”

CT-4056 spoke, “But we can’t leave those children to their fate. While we do not have the amount of power or influence of the Empire, we have each other. Small deeds can change everything.” CT-4056 couldn’t understand where this wave of words came from, but he felt emboldened with it. “During the Clone Wars, numerous rebellions occurred against the Separatists. While we still have hope, hope that a new dawn will come, hope that the Empire will fall, and hope that a New Republic will rise from the ashes.”

Balderik smiled and clapped CT-4056 on the shoulder. “We may not be the ones to defeat the Empire or the Sith master, but we can still give people hope.”

Corbrinn sighed. He was more serious than usual. “Balderik, you remind me when I was a padawan. But times have changed. I suppose we can not follow the tenets of the late Jedi Order. The order’s time has passed. I agree, we must do something.”

“We should start by gathering information.” CT-4056 suggested. “We need to know what we’re up against, and who. As well as find out locations for these children.”

Balderik thought out loud, “Wherever the Imperials are must give some clues.”

Corbrinn visibly pondered, scratching his beard. “We can start at Eriadu. It’ll be risky, but we should get some leads there.”

Balderik turned to CT-4056. “CT-4056… I think it’s time you actually have a name. It’ll help you in the future and give you more of an identity.”

“A name?” CT-4056 was taken aback by the question.

“Yes, a name. Anything you’d like.”

CT-4056 thought about the question. He hadn’t really thought of having a name. His mind had flashbacks to the nickname that his squadmates gave him back in the Grand Army of the Republic. “Craig. Craig, that was the nickname that my squadmates gave me.”

Balderik and Corbrinn both nodded. “With that settled, let’s make our preparations,” Balderik said.  
  


* * *

  
  
Within a week, they jumped into hyperspace towards Eriadu. The ship was fondly nicknamed “New Dawn” by Craig. Craig piloted the ship, while Balderik serves his copilot and Corbrinn his navigator. Interestingly, the ship came with 5 seats. 

Balderik asked Craig during transit, “Why the hell did you pack so many snacks?”

“I might get hungry.”

“For fuck’s sake.”

Craig just shrugged and soon they came out of hyperspace near Eriadu. Three Imperial Star Destroyers along with some other ships guarded the planet. Corbrinn remarked, “There’s a lot of Imperials on Eriadu it seems. It could only mean that Eriadu is a centre of some importance out in the Outer Rim.”

“There appears to be plenty of traffic, so the Empire haven’t placed harsh restrictions on the planet,” Balderik mentioned.

Craig maneuvered the ship and landed in one of the many hangers available for use located near Eriadu City. He paid the official for the space and the New Dawn was checked for contraband, as ordered by someone called Moff Tarkin. As soon as everything was cleared up, they were free to leave.

As the left the spaceport, Corbrinn remarked, “Seems Wilhuff Tarkin has moved up in places. Never liked him, but I do have a sort of grudging respect for his skill.”

The city was heavily polluted so it took a bit of time for Craig to adjust to the air. He had been to Coruscant a few times and it was still not nearly as bad as this place. The city was characterised by blocky, utilitarian architecture. Stormtroopers regularly patrolled its streets in neat, orderly formations. Interestingly enough, it seemed that most people walked on the opposite side of the street from them.

Corbrinn said, “We must find… a sort of Imperial database to find information.”

“Hmm.” Balderik was then struck by an idea. “How bout we find a lone stormtrooper, and ask him for the location.”

“Perfect plan padawan!”  
  


* * *

  
  
At night, they made their move. They found an ideal target, a lone stormtrooper was walking through the streets. As per plan, Craig caught the attention of the stormtrooper to move into the alleyway by making some loud noises by hitting against a bin.

While the stormtrooper walked further into the alleyway, Balderik snuck up on him from behind and caught him in a hold. “What the-” the stormtrooper exclaimed as he dropped his gun. Craig sprang forth from his hiding spot and aimed his gun at the stormtrooper and the stormtrooper immediately stopped struggling. Corbrinn confronted the stormtrooper as he emerged.  
The stormtrooper coldly said, “What do you want.”

Corbrinn did the asking. “We just wanted some information, as we’re uh, a bit lost.”

“You’re not getting anything out of me.”

“We’d just like to know where your… Imperial Database are here. Your records, whatever you call it. Please.”

“I won’t tell you anything so easily.”

“Pretty please?”

“... The Imperial Archives are in that building over there.” He pointed to a building not too far off into the distance.

“Now that wasn't so hard. You can forget about this and let us go on our way.”

“I will forget about this and I will let you go on your way.”

Balderik released the stormtrooper and he picked up his gun and continued on his way. Craig asked Corbrinn as they walked towards the archives, “How come you didn’t need to wave your hands?”

“Well somebody has to be the master here.”

Balderik made a face at Corbrinn and Corbrinn chuckled. They navigated through various alleyways, noticing the increased amount of patrols as they neared. Balderik explained, “I don’t think they’re guarding the Archives, the patrols thin out a bit there. They’re guarding something else. Possibly Tarkin’s home. We must quickly cross that street and climb over that fence, and then we can get in from the back where there’s less guards.”

Once the nearest patrol passed by, they sprinted as silently as they could across the street, and quickly climbed over the fence into relative safety. The three made their way over to the building, avoiding the few guards who were positioned in the back, and entered inside.

The database wasn’t large, but it certainly was decently sized. Craig found the computer that was linked to the database and searched through the records for a file concerning the Force-sensitive children. Meanwhile, Balderik and Corbrinn looked around the place.  
“Master! I found something you may find interesting.”

Corbrinn walked over to Balderik. On the desk that Balderik was looking on had a few holocrons and some tools. Corbrinn surmised someone probably tried breaking into them for information. “Jedi Holocrons… It seems the Sith want to collect them. We’ll take them with us.”

Balderik put the Jedi holocron within a pouch that was attached to his belt and walked over to Craig to observe his search. Finally after a few more minutes, Craig found what they were looking for. A light appeared to show where the record was. “There we go lads.”

The three collected the record and viewed it through the computer. Balderik shook his head. “There’s not a lot left.”

The record showed a map of the galaxy and only several planets were highlighted. Corbrinn listed the names, “Naboo, Sullust, Tatooine, Ryloth, Lothal, Mon Calamari, among a few others. We are only near to a few of these so we can only save those.”

Suddenly the lights turned on and the front door opened. “Halt!” A stormtrooper yelled. Craig quickly took the record out and placed it in a bag. “I don’t think we’re in good terms anymore.” They nodded and began running through the back door as the stormtrooper fired. Craig fired blindly at the stormtrooper, hitting his shoulder.

They runned and gunned through the back area, shooting the few guards that were still positioned there, as the alarms turned on. Craig threw a grenade at the fence blowing it up. They ran across the street, and one of the stormtrooper’s blaster fire barely went over his head. Balderik yelled, “Quick, let’s run through the alleyways!”

They scurried through the alleyways, shooting the troopers that were in their way. Alarms rang across the city, alerting all Imperial forces in the area. They weaved through the city’s alleyways, having to make sharp turns at the last minute. But soon, they found themselves surrounded in a two way street.

“I suggest you surrender now, scum,” a female Imperial officer commanded.

Craig whispered to Balderik and Corbrinn, “You guys remember the sword and shield maneuver from the Clone Wars? I suggest we employ that if we want to live.”

Balderik and Corbrinn nodded, tucking away their blaster pistols.

“It seems you’ve made the right choice. We’ll see that you may have some mercy…” The officer laughed.

Craig smugly said, “We’re not going anywhere lady.”

Balderik and Corbrinn unsheathed their lightsabres, activating them, radiating a blue and green light as they took defensive stances. The officer’s grin turned into a frown. She yelled at the stormtroopers, “What are you doing? Open fire!” She pushed her way through the stormtroopers as they opened fire.

The Jedi deflected the blaster bolts, often making them strike back at the stormtroopers while Craig fired his DC-15S at them. They slowly carved a path into another alleyway and made a break for it while staying in formation.

Balderik announced, “We’re almost there!”

They made their way into the hanger, and quickly boarded the New Dawn. Craig immediately started up the ship. “We may need someone on one of those turrets!”

Balderik answered, “I’m on it.” 

Corbrinn said as Craig began taking off, “We’ll prepare a jump to Naboo.”

Craig nodded and flew out of the place, with some feeble attempts by stormtroopers to shoot at the ship. As they entered space, Corbrinn entered into the other turret. They were met by incoming tie fighter squadrons that came from the Imperial Star Destroyer.

He maneuvered the ship to dodge incoming fire while Corbrinn and Balderik picked them off. Craig even shot down one or two using the ship’s frontal weapon. After the New Dawn made its way far enough, the ship jumped into hyperspace.  
  


* * *

  
  
They managed to recover the Force-sensitive children and their parents from Naboo, Sullust, and Ryloth without difficulty. Corbrinn explained to the parents that they were not safe and were being hunted down, and that they would be taken to a safe location where they lived. Corbrinn also emphasised that their children were not going to be trained as Jedi due to their resources being too scarce to do so. They were transported back home so they could continue their lives.

Their next stop was Tatooine, specifically the fast growing spaceport of Mos Eisley. The location of the Force-sensitive wasn’t as descriptive on the record, likely due to the relative isolation of Tatooine in regards to the rest of the galaxy, forcing them to stay in Tatooine for a few days. Corbrinn cautioned them, “While Tatooine was the birthplace of the Chosen One…” He paused for a moment as if his mind wandered elsewhere. “Tatooine is not the friendliest place so its best to be cautious.”

Craig landed the ship in an open hanger, paying the fee for the space. The hanger attendant stated, “If you don’t want your ship to be searched, you’ll have to pay a little extra.”

He paid a few more credits and the attendant was happy enough to go on his way. Craig made sure to close the ramp to the ship and lock it up. They made their way into the bustling streets of Mos Eisley. 

As they walked around, Craig observed the city. The people came from all sorts of backgrounds in terms of species, though humans were still evidently in the majority. Most of them, Craig would assume, were smugglers, bounty hunters, and other jobs that had similar tasks.

“Where do we even begin?” Craig asked.

“I will use the Force to see if I can try and find them,” Corbrinn explained. “I do sense we’re not going to find them here in the spaceport, but amidst the desert.”

“I’m going to find a landspeeder, walking around in the desert doesn’t sound like much fun.”  
  


* * *

  
  
They drove across the endless desert in a landspeeder they rented. Craig drove while Corbrinn meditated and Balderik looked across the desert to see if there was anything interesting. Corbrinn frustratedly said, “I can’t sense where they are. It’s like if something is blocking me.”

Balderik suggested, “Do you think we were beat here master?”

“No, I can sense that they’re here, but not where. The Sith would have taken them away if it were not the case.” Corbrinn pondered about the situation. “I don’t think we will have to worry about this Force-sensitive. We’re done here, let’s go home.”

Craig said, “It is about to be night, so I suggest we make camp and rest first before we head back.”

Corbrinn nodded.  
  


* * *

  
  
They set up camp there in the desert, and fell asleep. 

Corbrinn meditated for a bit, and was startled by a voice, as if it was said through the Force.

“You must leave this planet…”

“Who are you?”

“My name matters not, only that you are endangering the future with your presence. You are being followed.”

Corbrinn heard no more of the voice and opened his eyes. He shook Craig and Balderik to wake them up. “Get up, we must leave. Hurry, up!” 

While groggy, they heeded his commands and dressed quickly, and emerged from their tent. They saw a speeder bike zooming towards them in the middle of the desert night. Corbrinn alerted them, “Be on your guard. I do not suspect they are a friend.”

As the object moved nearer, it outlined a human figure clad in black robes. He parked near to them, and as he approached Craig felt that he knew the guy from somewhere, as if from a dream.

The figure spoke. “Well, what do we have here…” He laughed. “Two Jedi and their rebel friend lost in the desert.”

Craig warned, “Leave us be or you’ll regret it.”

“Ah… Not a rebel, I recognise that voice.” The figure could be seen having a slight grin under that hood. “No, you’re a clone. What a wonderful Clone Wars reunion we have.”

Craig sternly stared at him in silence as a response.

“What is your name… clone.”

He tried resisting, but protocol and years of breeding for the military dominated his mind. “CT-4056…” Craig breathed heavily as he spoke. “For- Of… Formerly of the 447th Legion. 74th Regiment. ...Sir.” Craig looked down at the ground after he spoke these words, avoiding direct contact while sorting out his brain.

“That wasn’t so hard was it, after all… You were bred for it.”

Corbrinn ordered, “Leave him alone.”

The figure crackled as he paced around the three in a circle. “Not a very hospitable welcoming committee… I am the Sith Assassin Avenkar, tasked to hunt down remaining Jedi and any Force-sensitive children. And you,” Avenkar looked directly at Corbrinn. “may remember me. Master” He unveiled his face, putting down his hood. What was revealed was a face that was human, but twisted by the dark side. Several scars covered his face, and his eyes were Sith yellow. He was remarkably pale.

Corbrinn didn’t respond. Balderik looked towards Corbrinn, “Master?”

Avenkar grinned. “Ah… so he never told his second apprentice. About his failure to teach his first. I’m surprised my former master even bothered with another.”

Craig lost his patience. “Enough is enough!” He quickly drew his blaster pistol, only to be met by a hard force push, knocking him unconscious.

“Foolish clone… The clones were always reckless at times like these. Well, they were expendable.”

Corbrinn wielded his lightsabre, a light green radiating in the night. “It’s time to stop this Lysander.” Balderik followed suit lighting his lightsabre.

Avenkar activated his red lightsabre. “You are no match for the dark side.”

They danced around each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. Balderik made the offensive move, earning him a heavy kick in the gut backwards, and Corbrinn struck with Avenkar deflecting.

The Force users dueled in the desert sands, none making any progress. However, it was clear that Corbrinn and Balderik were outmatched and that Avenkar was the better dueler. The sounds of lightsabre against lightsabre sprang out into the night.  
A few minutes into the duel, Craig regained conscious from the force push. He awakened to his friends dueling, noticing the two Jedi getting increasingly desperate in their attacks and defences, losing all actual form of lightsabre combat. They were reduced to fighting for their lives. Avenkar did not look exhausted at all. In fact, it seems he was enjoying the fight with a constant smirk every time their blades met. 

Craig got up and attempted to clear his head as quickly as possible, looking around in the process. It was made clear that this was not his fight, but he felt that he couldn’t leave his friends to die. Then he noticed something incoming, a sandstorm. Balderik saw Craig out of the corner of his eye and instantly knew what he had planned. He communicated the idea silently to Corbrinn.

Craig rushed towards their landspeeder, starting it up. The two Jedi Force jumped into the landspeeder, and zoomed off. The sandstorm quickly covering the camp and reducing the visibility to zero.

Avenkar was not too disturbed about the sandstorm. He simply responded by covering his face with the hood and proceeded to speak into a comlink. “Captain, prepare your tractor beam. My target will encounter you soon. I will be back to see your results.”  
  


* * *

  
  
They launched from the hanger and they flew into space, only to be met with an Imperial Star Destroyer that just jumped into the system. Balderik shouted, “Get us out of here!”

Craig activated the hyperdrive. Nothing. Craig looked at Balderik and Corbrinn. Corbrinn muttered, “Ly- Avenkar sabotaged the hyperdrive.”

Balderik stated, “We can’t outrun an Imperial Star Destroyer.”

“Well, we can do our best,” Craig said. He put the ship on full throttle. The Imperial Star Destroyer wasn’t firing its turbolasers at them or sending out starfighters which Corbrinn found odd. Corbrinn suddenly came to the realisation, “Wait, don’t fly too close!”

It was too late. The Imperial Star Destroyer’s tractor beam caught hold onto them. As much as Craig tried, they could not get out of the tractor beam’s tight grip. Corbrinn explained, “I’ve got a quick plan. It won’t… be easy. You two will find out how to get our hyperdrive back up, I will deactivate their tractor beam.”  
  


* * *

  
  
The ship was locked in the belly of the Imperial Star Destroyer. A male Imperial officer stood in the hanger where the orange striped ship lay. “Prepare boarding procedure.”

A squad of stormtroopers hacked open the ramp and entered, searching the New Dawn. They scoured every corner of the ship, making sure nothing was hiding behind containers or all the food stacked up in one of the storage areas. After a few minutes of efficient searching, they left the ship. “Sir, the ship is empty.”

“What? Are you sure?”

“Yes sir.”

The officer relieved them of duty and proceeded to use a comlink, “Captain, nobody was found on the ship.”

A few seconds of silence past. “You may return to your previous post. I will alert Avenkar.”

The officer went on his way, and soon no one was in the hanger. Three figures jumped from the top of the ship. Craig in his phase II armour, Balderik, and Corbrinn had laid low on the top of the freighter using the utility lift that came with the ship. Corbrinn ordered, “You two go find something to fix our hyperdrive motivator, I will deal with tractor beam. Now go!”

They went on their respective tasks.  
  


* * *

  
  
Avenkar was in the middle of transit to the Imperial Star Destroyer when he was contacted by Captain Harkel. “Sir, your targets were not found on board the ship.”

“They must have hidden somewhere. They’re going through your ship right now, planning to escape. Captain, I want your soldiers to have their guns on stun. I want them alive when I arrive.”

“Yes sir.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Craig asked Balderik when he made sure no one was around, “What exactly are we looking for?”

“I don’t know! He said to find a hyperdrive motivator or something like that.”

“Where are we going to get a bloody hyperdrive motivator…” They walked into a large room with no one in it. Starfighter parts were laid in organised areas. A nearby box was named, “Hyperdrive Motivators.”

“That was convenient,” Balderik said to Craig. Balderik opened the box, finding only one in there. He passed it over to Craig. “You can keep track of that.”

“What do we do now while Corbrinn deactivates the tractor beam?”

“We should probably go back to the ship. It’s safer there.”

Craig and Balderik walked into the hallway, only to be met with several stormtroopers. Craig reacted by lifting up his rifle, but was instantly stunned and he collapsed. Balderik activated his lightsabre.

“Now now.” It was Avenkar. “I have no more time to play these games if we know the way it will end.” Avenkar made his way to the front of the stormtroopers and overwhelmed Balderik with the force in order to deactivate it. A stormtrooper proceeded to stun him.

“Tell the Captain that I no longer need his ship or services, and that he can regain control and continue on his course to Scarif. Imprison them. I will see to them personally.”  
  


* * *

  
  
Corbrinn sensed something was wrong. And he knew it the instant that the Imperial Star Destroyer jumped to hyperspace. He surmised that Balderik and Craig were caught. He breathed a deep sigh. Now, he needed a new plan. Corbrinn found a storage closet and meditated inside to create a plan to save his companions.  
  


* * *

  
  
Craig awoke in a dark room with only a dim light nearby. He soon came to the realisation that he was in a cell of sorts. His heart sank. Balderik was nowhere in sight either. He was a prisoner of the Empire. He was glad he still had his helmet on, even if no one was there. No one could see the fear on his face.  
  


* * *

  
  
In an indiscernible amount of time, Craig received some food. It was a pitiful amount, a small slice of bread and a few crackers, plus a glass of water that was almost empty. He made due with the food.  
  


* * *

  
  
Soon, Avenkar walked into his cell. “Why hello CT-4056.”

Craig responded by not directly looking at him.

“Understand this, you are a deserter and traitor clone. You belong in the Empire, alongside your brothers.”

“I won’t fight for you.”

Avenkar laughed, as he forced Craig to look at him into his eyes. “We shall see… You can’t run away from your past. You are a clone, bred for war. Programmed to serve Emperor Palpatine.”

“I am not part of your Empire.”

Avenkar grinned. He walked a few paces away from Craig. “You shall soon see the error of your ways.” He turned around and electricity came out of his fingertips, shocking Craig. He screamed. “We can make a fine soldier out of you yet.” Avenkar crackled as he stopped shocking the clone a few seconds later.

Craig collapsed onto the floor, barely breathing. “No matter… what. I won’t…”

“You can resist all you want, but your the way of your creation will convince you otherwise. What if I said the words… Execute Order 66?”

Something in Craig’s brain started acting up, attempting take control. Craig clutched his head and moaned in agony. “Get out of my head!”

Avenkar simply stated, “In time, you will call the Empire… your master.”

“No… no…” Craig kept saying no and Avenkar’s grin turned into a slight frown.

“It seems you need further convincing…” He shocked Craig again, and kept doing this for a time. On and off, until Craig was barely conscious and alive.

“It seems we require further sessions. Very well then.” 

Avenkar left and Craig cowered there in the dim light, feeling like he kept living through that experience. He eventually drifted into unconscious and suffered a hell of nightmares.  
  


* * *

  
  
Every so often, Avenkar came in for further torture and electrocution. Craig’s only response to these times was whimpers. Avenkar forced off his helmet, so he could see Craig’s emotions. The clone was clearly breaking under the stress.

Sometimes, Avenkar did not come in but some Imperial officers. They ordered Craig to stand at attention or stand straight. If he did not do it fast enough, he was kicked or punched, or both. It just added to the pain and fear that Craig felt.

Craig only received meagre amounts of food, if at all: sometimes it was only a few crumbs and crackers. He was always starving. Soon, he entirely gave up on trying to support himself with the rations.

He never regained track of time, and always lapsed into nightmarish unconsciousness between torture sessions. In time, he entirely stopped thinking about Balderik and Corbrinn, what they were up to, how they were doing. It only increased how alone Craig felt.  
  


* * *

  
  
Craig woke up shrouded in total darkness. He knew it was not his old cell. He could distinctly hear his heavy breathing, but at the same time, it was completely silent. He could not hear the hum of the ship.

“H-hello?” His voice pierced the silence as if there were no walls to room, as if it were infinite. It scared Craig, more than anything he previously experienced.

Craig started to hear his blood flowing through his body, his heart pumping. He started feeling dizzy and suffered hallucinations. He saw people that were not there, random lights flickering that were not there. People and things from his memories came and went.

Craig suffered horrible things for what felt like eternity. He couldn’t sleep, and he couldn’t think properly. Craig got used to the visions, they were his company now even though they were nonsensical. 

Eventually after what felt like years to Craig, he fell asleep due to his body’s need taking over. His dreams were vivid, his memories flashing before them. The scenes at the forefront were his times on Kamino, his training and the simulations.

But they had twists to them. Imperial officers replaced the Kaminoans, and punished him everytime he did something wrong. The clones were replaced by stormtroopers, who laughed and jeered at him and called him a failure. Avenkar appeared at occasional times to haunt him.

His nightmares culminated into many people calling him a traitor and his fellow clones who were helmetless said he was responsible for their deaths. They did terrible things to Craig that he did not speak of, enacting his punishment. He encountered the Order 66 nightmare again, except this time he was fighting the Jedi, and was shocked to find out that all the Jedi happened to be Balderik.

After he woke up, Craig did not know whether he was past the point of insanity. By the time he was released, he had enough and believed anything was better than that chamber of death.  
  


* * *

  
  
Balderik was in an decent enough cell. It was spacious enough, that he could pace around in it. He woke up already finding a tray of food for him. Some bread, crackers, cheese, and generic fruits and vegetables. It didn’t taste like much: it was pretty bland. He usually never ended up finishing his meals but a stormtrooper came in and took them away at a specific time interval after the food was delivered.

He wondered during the time he was imprisoned whether he could escape or not, but without his lightsabre, he knew he would end up back in the same place. Frequent screams echoed towards his room, Balderik hoped it wasn’t Craig.

At times when Balderik tried to meditate, all he could sense was darkness. A deep and sorrowful Force accompanied the place. He meditated no longer after that, he knew that it wouldn’t help him clear his thoughts. Balderik just wondered where the hell his master was.

In what Balderik surmised was a few days time, Avenkar finally visited him.

“Hello there Balderik,” Avenkar greeted.

“Finally decided to meet me in person at last?”

“Well I had business to attend with, and did our meeting on Tatooine not constitute as a personal meeting?”

“I don’t call a fight for my life a meeting.”

“Now Balderik. We do not have to be enemies.” Avenkar did his typical laughter. “No, I seek more than that. A proposition maybe.”

“I don’t deal with Sith like you.”

“How unfortunate, but hear me out. You should ditch that master of yours. He’s no use to you. After all, he hasn’t seem to have come rescued you.”

“I wouldn’t abandon Corbrinn. Not anytime soon.”

“You must realise your destiny Corbrinn. The time of the Jedi has ended. It is the time of the Sith. Give in to the dark side. After all, your master has abandoned you. What if I told you that earlier your ship left?”

“Why would I believe you?”

“Join us Balderik, and you can serve your place in the Empire.”

“I am a Jedi, I would never join the Sith.”

Avenkar sighed. “I’m sorry we must come to odds. I thought better of you, being Corbrinn’s padawan after all. You are too blind to realise his folly.”

The Sith assassin paced back and forth. “I have a friend of mine I want you to meet. Guards!”

Balderik wondered what tricks the Sith had up his sleeve. He watched as two stormtroopers dragged another of them in. Balderik looked a bit closer as he was wearing a different helmet. That wasn’t another stormtrooper, it was Craig.

The stormtroopers forced him to stand up straight as Balderik ran to him. “Craig, are you all right? What have they done to you?” Balderik felt a great darkness surrounding Craig.

“You don’t know… what I have suffered through.”

Balderik hugged Craig, but he only felt pain as he did so. The stormtroopers soon separated them after Avenkar gave him a moment.

“Very touching you two. Unfortunately, my time is running out. Let’s get to business. CT-4056,” Craig stiffly stood up straight at attention after a second pause. “Kill the Jedi.”

A stormtrooper handed him his DC-15S blaster rifle and his DC-17 blaster pistol. He put the pistol away and lifted up his rifle, aiming it towards Balderik.

“Craig, snap out of it. This isn’t you!”

“Oh it is him,” Avenkar smiled. “We made sure that was perfectly clear. Shoot him CT-4056, now.”

Craig kept feeling the trigger, as numerous thoughts filled his brain. His mind was still fighting from the control of the chip implanted in his brain. Memories flashed through his eyes, of when Craig and Balderik first met. The various activities they did when Craig visited him. He also remembered the first time he experienced sensing the Force with Corbrinn.

Then, another memory flashed by. He was sitting on top of that hill, laying back against the tree. His first sunset he truly took notice of. Then he saw the sunrise and his memory turned to one figure, George. George was smiling at him, spreading comfort. George spoke, “I will always be your friend Craig as I believe in you. May the Force be with you, always.”

Craig was back to the present. Avenkar, impatient after sensing his conflict, commanded, “Shoot him now CT-4056.”

Craig responded, “I am loyal to the Galactic Republic, not your Empire.” He quickly aimed his gun at Avenkar’s face and fired a shot. It hit Avenkar, and Avenkar looked furious, managing to survive the blast. In a quick move, he stabbed Balderik in the chest left of his heart, and Balderik slowly fell to the ground as his eyes went wide.

Avenkar then sensed something and smiled. “Tell Corbrinn I send my regards, and that I’m disappointed we could not arrange a meeting. Guards, leave them be and guard the door. I must not be late for my meeting with Lord Vader.”

Craig ran over to Balderik as they left him and held him. Balderik spoke his final words, “I always believed in you Craig. Remember, you’re not just some clone or number… You’re something unique, something special… Tell Corbrinn… I’m sorry…”

Craig no longer heard Balderik’s breathing, and held him for a few moments more before accepting his passing. Tears streamed down his face under his helmet as he closed his eyelids.

Suddenly, he heard two thuds outside the cell door and as he turned to look, he saw Corbrinn standing over him. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Corbrinn looked far more serious than his usual jovial self.

“Come Craig, and take… him with you. It’s time we leave.”

Craig nodded, not bothering to process what was happening. He took Balderik over his shoulder and followed Corbrinn. Any stormtrooper that got in their way was met by Corbrinn’s lightsabre. They got to the New Dawn in a few minutes.

Corbrinn told Craig to get some rest and that he would fly them home. He simply nodded and placed Balderik on one of the beds in the medical bay and situated himself in the other. He was too tired to bother with sleeping in the crew quarters. As they took off, Craig fell asleep.

The New Dawn left the Imperial Star Destroyer and it witnessed the Imperial planet of Scarif. A Shield Gate was having its finishing touches. Captain Harkel was told by Avenkar not to bother with the ship as Avenkar departed from the vessel, and Harkel watched the ship fly off into the distance.

As Corbrinn prepared the jump into hyperspace back home, he pressed a button on a device that was in his hands. The Imperial Star Destroyer found itself rocked by multiple explosions, and soon the entire Star Destroyer blew up, its debris falling into the shield covering the planet. 

The New Dawn entered hyperspace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a while for me to post this chapter. But I hope you enjoy it. I'll try to post Chapter 3, which is already in production, in a quicker timeframe. Also, I decided including an anechoic chamber would be... rather interesting.


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